The third week of January has witnessed heroic actions of self-liberation by the population of Gaza, repeatedly pulling down the metal and concrete barriers along the southern border with Egypt, breaking the starvation blockade imposed by the racist, apartheid state of Israel.
We recognise, too, the correct and militant leadership in this offered by Hamas, whatever political differences we may have with them on many other issues. The sight of these actions on television screens around the world lifted the hearts of countless people fighting oppression. We all send our warmest congratulations to our Palestinian sisters and brothers. We pledge ourselves to do our utmost to prevent the re-imposition of the siege under any form.
Israel’s excuse that its blockade and demand that Egypt closes its border to Gaza is prompted by the firing of rockets into its territory and potential gun-smuggling is just that – an excuse. Any military actions against Israel taken by Palestinian groups is in response to aggression by the Zionist armed forces. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and the infrastructure of Gaza destroyed, while just two Israeli soldiers have been killed in response. Without supporting the strategy of the guerrillas, we support their resistance to the Israeli Defence Forces.
However, it is this breaking of the blockade, which Israel imposed in the 20 months after Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections, that is a historic act. The Palestinian masses have spoken. The BBC reported a series of demonstrations in solidarity with it in Arab countries, most significantly in towns and cities across Egypt. Despite massive arm-twisting from the USA, whose subsidies to President Hosni Mubarrak’s regime amount to billions of dollars, to re-impose the Zionists’ blockade for them, Egypt is finding it very difficult to do so.
Indeed, Mubarrak, who has hitherto refused to recognise Hamas, has been obliged to offer discussions with them and Fatah, the party of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. If the latter veto such talks, and a spokesperson has already indicated that they will do so, the full scale of their shameful and ugly complicity with the Zionist and imperialist blockade and the suffering of Gazans, will be revealed once again.
International demonstrations should continue in solidarity with Gaza, demanding the Zionists immediately and unconditionally lift the blockade, and that the United States and the European Union restore all the trade and aid links to Gaza, which existed prior to Hamas’ electoral victory two years ago.
Demonstrators should demand, too, that the Western powers recognise the legitimately elected Hamas representatives of the Palestinian people in Gaza. It was their refusal to accept the democratic results of the 2006 election, which gave the signal for the collective punishment of Palestinians for voting for “the wrong party”. Arab governments should be forced by their peoples to send immediate and plentiful food, fuel and medical supplies to put an end to the misery in Gaza.
The mass actions by Palestinians have shown that the intifada – uprising – is far from dead, despite the betrayal it has suffered from its own leadership in the person of Abbas. Moreover, this has broken the conspiracy of silence, which has concealed Israeli crimes from large sections of the world. It shows that George Bush’s so-called Annapolis peace process is a gigantic fraud, based on imposing a discontinuous, disarmed mini-state on the Palestinians, in return for recognition of all of Israel’s ethnic cleansing and the permanent exclusion of most Palestinians from their lands.
Working class and progressive forces worldwide have long recognised the cause of Palestine as their own. They need to continue to recognise the right of the Palestinians to fight by all means necessary, by armed resistance as well as by mass mobilisations, to liberate themselves. We call on all who can to demonstrate repeatedly and forcefully in support of Gaza.
Long live the liberation of Gaza!
No re-imposition of the siege!
Down with the blockade on all its borders!
Recognise the democratically elected representatives of its people!
Victory to the Palestinian People against Zionism and Imperialism